Display device

ABSTRACT

A display device is disclosed, which has excellent touch sensitivity due to a corner area of a screen, wherein the corner area is formed to be curved. The display device comprises a substrate including a touch area having a corner touch area; a plurality of gate lines arranged on the substrate in a first direction; a plurality of data lines arranged in a second direction crossing the first direction; a plurality of pixel areas defined by crossing the plurality of gate lines and the plurality of data lines; a plurality of common electrodes arranged to overlap at least one pixel area; and a plurality of touch link lines electrically connected with the plurality of common electrodes and extended in a direction parallel with the first direction or the second direction, wherein, among the plurality of common electrodes, the first common electrodes arranged on the corner touch area have shape different from that of the second common electrodes arranged on the other touch area except the corner touch area.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 16/052,417 filed on Aug. 1, 2018, which claims thebenefit of the Korean Patent Application No. 10-2017-0099060 filed onAug. 4, 2017, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference for allpurposes as if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a display device.

Discussion of the Related Art

Related technologies in the field of a display device for displayingvisual information as an image or a picture in the information age havebeen developed. Particularly, an example of the display device includesa touch display device having a display panel that may recognize aposition where a touch has occurred and touch intensity if a usercontacts a display area where an image is displayed, by using a fingeror pen or applies a force to the display area. For immediate and mutualcommunication between a user and a machine, the touch display device iswidely used for a tablet PC (personal computer), a smart watch, a watchphone, a wearable device, an electronic diary, an electronic book, a PMP(portable multimedia player), a navigation system, a television, anotebook computer, a monitor, a camera, a camcorder, or a home appliancewithout limitation to a smart phone, a mobile communication terminal, ora mobile phone.

The touch display device may be categorized into an on-cell type inwhich a touch panel including touch electrodes for recognizing a touchis provided separately from a display panel for displaying an image andan in-cell type in which touch elements including touch electrodes forrecognizing a touch are built in a display panel.

Since the recent display device includes a corner area of a housing anda cover window has a curved (or rounded) shape, improved esthetic designmay be obtained due to the more natural shape of the corner area, and ascreen of the corner area may be displayed more naturally.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a display device thatsubstantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations anddisadvantages of the related art.

An advantage of the present invention is to provide a display devicehaving excellent touch sensitivity due to a corner area of a screen,which is formed to be curved.

Additional advantages and features of the invention will be set forth inpart in the description which follows and in part will become apparentto those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of thefollowing or may be learned from practice of the invention. Theobjectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized andattained by the structure particularly pointed out in the writtendescription and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.

A display device according to one embodiment of the present inventioncomprises a substrate including a touch area having a corner touch area;a plurality of gate lines arranged on the substrate in a firstdirection; a plurality of data lines arranged in a second directioncrossing the first direction; a plurality of pixel areas defined bycrossing the plurality of gate lines and the plurality of data lines; aplurality of common electrodes arranged to overlap at least one pixelarea; and a plurality of touch link lines each of which is electricallyconnected with a corresponding one of the plurality of common electrodesand extended in a direction parallel with the first direction or thesecond direction, wherein, among the plurality of common electrodes, thefirst common electrodes arranged on the corner touch area have shapedifferent from that of the second common electrodes arranged on theother touch area except the corner touch area.

In another aspect of the present invention, a display device accordingto one embodiment of the present invention comprises a substrateincluding a touch area having a corner touch area; a plurality of gatelines arranged on the substrate in a first direction; a plurality ofdata lines arranged in a second direction crossing the first direction;a plurality of pixel areas defined by crossing the plurality of gatelines and the plurality of data lines; a plurality of common electrodesarranged to overlap at least one pixel area; and a plurality of touchlink lines each of which is electrically connected with a correspondingone of the plurality of common electrodes and extended in a directionparallel with the first direction or the second direction, wherein,among the plurality of touch link lines, a first interval between firsttouch link lines passing through first common electrodes arranged in anedge of the touch area including the corner touch area is different froma second interval between second touch link lines passing through secondcommon electrodes arranged other touch area except the edge of the toucharea through which the first touch link lines pass.

In still another aspect of the invention, a display device comprises aplurality of common electrodes, wherein the common electrodes comprisefirst common electrodes arranged in an edge of a touch area of thedisplay device in a first direction including a corner touch area, andsecond common electrodes arranged in other touch area except the edge ofthe touch area. The display device also comprises a plurality of touchlink lines including first touch link lines and second touch link lines,each of the first touch link lines electrically connected with acorresponding one of the first common electrodes and spaced apart fromeach other at a first interval, and each of the second touch link lineselectrically connected with a corresponding one of the second commonelectrodes and spaced apart from each other at a second interval widerthan the first interval.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description andthe following detailed description of the present invention areexemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide furtherexplanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention andtogether with the description serve to explain the principle of theinvention. In the drawings:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are block diagrams illustrating a display device accordingto the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram illustrating a pixel according to oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a waveform illustrating a common voltage supplied to commonelectrodes and a touch driving signal for a display period and a touchperiod of one frame period of a display device according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a display device according tothe present invention;

FIG. 6 is a plane view illustrating a connection structure between aplurality of common electrodes and a driving circuit portion in adisplay device according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a plane view illustrating a connection structure between aplurality of common electrodes and a driving circuit portion in adisplay device according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a portion A shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a plane view illustrating a connection structure between aplurality of common electrodes and a driving circuit portion in adisplay device according to other embodiment of the present invention;and

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a portion B shown in FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Advantages and features of the present invention, and implementationmethods thereof will be clarified through following embodimentsdescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings. The presentinvention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not beconstrued as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, theseembodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough andcomplete, and will fully convey the scope of the present invention tothose skilled in the art. Further, the present invention is only definedby scopes of claims.

A shape, a size, a ratio, an angle, and a number disclosed in thedrawings for describing embodiments of the present invention are merelyan example, and thus, the present invention is not limited to theillustrated details. Like reference numerals refer to like elementsthroughout the specification. In the following description, when thedetailed description of the relevant known function or configuration isdetermined to unnecessarily obscure the important point of the presentinvention, the detailed description will be omitted.

In a case where ‘comprise’, ‘have’, and ‘include’ described in thepresent specification are used, another part may be added unless ‘only’is used. The terms of a singular form may include plural forms unlessreferred to the contrary.

In construing an element, the element is construed as including an errorrange although there is no explicit description.

In describing a position relationship, for example, when the positionrelationship is described as ‘upon˜’, ‘above˜’, ‘below˜’, and ‘nextto˜’, one or more portions may be arranged between two other portionsunless ‘just’ or ‘direct’ is used.

In describing a time relationship, for example, when the temporal orderis described as ‘after˜’, ‘subsequent˜’ ‘next˜’, and ‘before˜’, a casewhich is not continuous may be included unless ‘just’ or ‘direct’ isused.

It will be understood that, although the terms “first”, “second”, etc.may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements shouldnot be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguishone element from another element. For example, a first element could betermed a second element, and, similarly, a second element could betermed a first element, without departing from the scope of the presentinvention.

Features of various embodiments of the present invention may bepartially or overall coupled to or combined with each other, and may bevariously inter-operated with each other and driven technically as thoseskilled in the art can sufficiently understand. The embodiments of thepresent invention may be carried out independently from each other, ormay be carried out together in co-dependent relationship.

Hereinafter, the preferred embodiments of the present invention will bedescribed in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are block diagrams illustrating a display device accordingto the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram illustrating apixel according to one embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter,description will be given based on that the display device according tothe present invention is a liquid crystal display device.

The display device according to the present invention comprises adisplay panel 10, a timing controller 20, a gate driver 30, a datadriver 40, a main processor 50, a touch driver 60, and a common voltagecompensator 70.

The display panel 10 includes a lower substrate, an upper substrate, anda liquid crystal layer interposed between the lower substrate and theupper substrate. On the lower substrate of the display panel 10, datalines D1 to Dm, gate lines G1 to Gn, touch link lines T1 to Tp, andfeedback lines FL are formed.

The gate lines G1 to Gn are arranged in a first direction. The firstdirection is defined as X-axis direction in FIG. 1. The data lines D1 toDm are arranged in a second direction crossing the first direction. Thesecond direction is defined as Y-axis direction. Therefore, the datalines D1 to Dm are arranged to cross the gate lines G1 to Gn. Pixels Pmay be formed at crossing portions between the data lines D1 to Dm andthe gate lines G1 to Gn. Each of the pixels P may be connected to thedata lines D1 to Dm and the gate lines G1 to Gn. The touch link lines T1to Tp are extended in a direction parallel with the first direction (X)or the second direction (Y). Although FIG. 1 illustrates that the touchlink lines T1 to Tp are extended in a direction parallel with the seconddirection Y, the touch link lines T1 to Tp may be extended in adirection parallel with the first direction X.

Each of the pixels P may include a transistor TFT, a pixel electrode 11,a common electrode TE, and a storage capacitor Cst. The transistor TFTis turned on by a gate signal of the kth gate line Gk (k is a positiveinteger that satisfies 1≤k≤n), and supplies a data voltage of the jthdata line Dj (j is a positive integer that satisfies 1≤j≤m) to the pixelelectrode 11.

The common electrode TE is supplied with a common voltage Vcom from thetouch link lines T1 to Tp connected to the touch driver 60. For thisreason, each of the pixels P may control a transmittance ratio of lightentering from a backlight unit by driving liquid crystals of the liquidcrystal layer 13 by means of an electric field generated by a potentialdifference between the data voltage supplied to the pixel electrode 11and the common voltage Vcom supplied to the common electrode TE. As aresult, the pixels P may display an image. The storage capacitor Cst isprovided between the pixel electrode 11 and the common electrode TE, anduniformly maintains a voltage difference between the pixel electrode 11and the common electrode TE.

The common electrode TE is provided to overlap at least one pixel, andmay be defined as a touch sensor for touch sensing or a touch electrode.For example, the common electrode TE may include a transparentconductive material such as ITO (Indium Tin Oxide).

One common electrode TE may have a size corresponding to the pluralityof pixels. For example, one common electrode TE may have a sizecorresponding to 40 pixels in a first direction X parallel with a lengthdirection of the gate lines G1 to Gn and 12 pixels in a second directionY parallel with a length direction of the data lines D1 to Dm. In thiscase, one common electrode TE may have a size corresponding to 480 pixelareas. However, without limitation to this case, each of the commonelectrodes TE may be varied depending on size (or resolution) and touchresolution of the display panel.

The feedback line FL connects the common voltage compensator 70 with atleast one of the pixels P. The feedback line FL feeds the common voltageVcom supplied to at least one pixel P back to the common voltagecompensator 70.

On the upper substrate of the display panel 10, a black matrix and acolor filter, which identify each of the pixels P so as not to allowlight emitted from the pixels P to be mixed with each other. However, ifthe display panel 10 is formed in a COT (Color filter On TFT) structure,the black matrix and the color filter may be formed on the lowersubstrate of the display panel 10.

On each of the upper substrate and the lower substrate of the displaypanel 10, a polarizer is attached and an alignment film for setting apre-tilt angle of liquid crystal is formed. A column spacer formaintaining a cell gap of a liquid crystal cell is formed between theupper substrate and the lower substrate of the display panel 10.

The display panel 10 includes a display area comprised of a plurality ofpixels P, and a non-display area surrounding the display area. At thistime, each corner of the display area may have a curved shape having apredetermined curvature radius.

The backlight unit may be arranged below a rear surface of the lowersubstrate of the display panel 10. The backlight unit may be realized asan edge type or a direct type to irradiate light to the display panel10.

The timing controller 20 receives timing signals TS and digital videodata DATA from the main processor 50. The timing signals TS may includea vertical synchronization signal, a horizontal synchronization signal,a data enable signal, and a dot clock. The vertical synchronizationsignal is the signal for defining one frame period. The horizontalsynchronization signal is the signal for defining one horizontal periodto simultaneously supply the data voltages to one pixel column arrangedin a direction parallel with the extension direction of the gate linesG1 to Gn of the display panel 10. The pixels arranged on the pixelcolumn are connected to the same gate line. The enable signal is thesignal for defining a supply period of valid digital video data DATA.The dot clock is a clock signal repeated at a cycle preset by a timer inthe timing controller 20.

The timing controller 20 may generate a mode signal MODE for identifyinga display mode from a touch mode on the basis of the verticalsynchronization signal. For example, the timing controller 20 may outputa mode signal MODE of a first logic level voltage for a display periodand output a mode signal MODE of a second logic level voltage for atouch period.

The timing controller 20 generates a gate control signal GCS forcontrolling operation timing of the gate driver 30 and a data controlsignal DCS for controlling operation timing of the data driver 40 basedon the timing signals TS. The timing controller 20 generates a touchcontrol signal TCS for controlling operation timing of the touch driver60. For the display period, the timing controller 20 may output the gatecontrol signal GCS to the gate driver 30 and output the digital videodata DATA and the data control signal DCS to the data driver 40. Thetiming controller 20 may output the touch control signal TCS and themode signal MODE to the touch driver 60.

The gate driver 30 generates gate signals in accordance with the gatecontrol signal GCS supplied from the timing controller 40 for thedisplay period. The gate driver 30 supplies the gate signals to the gatelines G1 to Gn in a previously determined order for the display period.The previously determined order may be a sequential order. The gatedriver 30 according to one example may be integrated (or built) in thenon-display area at one side of the display panel 10 during themanufacturing process of the transistor TFT and connected with the gatelines G1 to Gn one to one. As another example, the data driver 30 may becomprised of an integrated circuit, packaged in the display panel 10 andconnected with the gate lines G1 to Gn one to one.

The data driver 40 receives the digital video data DATA and the datacontrol signal DCS from the timing controller 20 for the display period.The data driver 40 converts the digital video data DATA to analog datavoltages in accordance with the data control signal DCS for the displayperiod. The data driver 40 supplies the data voltages to the data linesD1 to Dm for the display period.

The main processor 50 may be realized as a central processing unit (CPU)packaged in a main board of the display device, a host processor, anapplication processor or a graphic processing unit (GPU). The mainprocessor 50 converts the digital video data DATA and the timing signalsTS to a suitable format for display on the display panel 10 andtransmits the converted data to the timing controller 20.

Also, the main processor 50 may receive touch coordinate data CD fromthe touch driver 60. The main processor 50 may execute an applicationprogram associated with a coordinate, in which a touch is generated by auser, in accordance with the touch coordinate data CD. The mainprocessor 50 may transmit the digital video data DATA and the timingsignals TS based on the executed program to the timing controller 20.

The touch driver 60 receives the touch control signal TCS and the modesignal MODE from the timing controller 20. The touch driver 60 receivesthe common voltage Vcom from the common voltage compensator 70.

The touch driver 60 may be operated by being divided into the displayperiod and the touch period in accordance with the mode signal MODE.

The touch driver 60 receives the common voltage Vcom supplied form thecommon voltage compensator 70 and supplies the common voltage Vcom tothe common electrodes TE for the display period at the same time.

The touch driver 60 generates a touch driving signal TDS in accordancewith the touch control signal TCS for the touch period TP. The touchdriver 60 may supply the touch driving signal TDS to the touch linklines T1 to Tp in a previously determined order. If the previouslydetermined order is a sequential order, the touch driver 60 maysequentially supply the touch driving signal TDS to the first to pthtouch link lines T1 to Tp.

The touch driver 60 receives touch sensing signals based on a change ofcapacitance of each of the common electrodes TE through the touch linklines T1 to Tp. The touch driver 60 may calculate touch coordinate(s)where a touch has occurred by performing operation for the touch sensingsignals using a predetermined algorithm. The touch driver 60 suppliesthe touch coordinate data CD, which includes the touch coordinate(s), tothe main processor 50. In this case, the main processor 50 executes anapplication program associated with a coordinate, in which a touch isgenerated by a user, in accordance with the touch coordinate data CD,and transmits the digital video data DATA and the timing signals basedon the executed program to the timing controller 20.

Selectively, the touch driver 60 may generate touch raw data byconverting the touch sensing signals to analog-to-digital data andprovide the generated touch raw data to the main processor 50. In thiscase, the main processor 50 may calculate touch coordinate(s) where atouch has occurred by performing operation for the touch raw dataprovided from the touch driver 60 using a predetermined algorithm andexecute an application program associated with the touch coordinate(s).

The common voltage compensator 70 compensates for the common voltageVcom to uniformly maintain a potential of the common voltage Vcom on thebasis of the feedback result, and supplies the common voltage Vcomhaving a uniform potential to the touch driver 60. That is, the commonvoltage compensator 70 uniformly maintains the potential of the commonvoltage supplied to the common electrode for the display period bycontrolling the potential of the common voltage by receiving the commonvoltage Vcom supplied to the common electrode and fed back through thefeedback line FL. The common voltage compensator 70 according to oneexample compensates for a common voltage variation of the commonelectrodes TE from the feedback line FL on the basis of a referencecommon voltage input from a power supply source. At this time, thecommon voltage compensator 70 is operated by being divided into thedisplay period and the touch period and compensates for the commonvoltage Vcom in accordance with a voltage variation of the feedback lineFL for the display period only. For example, the common voltagecompensator 70 may output the common voltage of which common voltagevariation affected by unspecified noise generated in the display panel10 is compensated by inverting and amplifying the common voltagevariation reflected in the feedback line FL at a reference commonvoltage level.

In the display device according to one embodiment of the presentinvention, the timing controller 20, the data driver 40, the touchdriver 60, and the common voltage compensator 70 may constitute adriving circuit portion (or unified driving integrated circuit) realizedas one integrated circuit. Moreover, the gate driver 30 may be built inthe driving circuit portion not the display panel 10.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, since the display device according to oneembodiment of the present invention is provided in an in-cell touch typein which the common electrode TE provided in the display panel 10 isused as a touch electrode, a separate touch panel is not required,whereby the display device may have thin thickness. However, the displaydevice according to one embodiment of the present invention may beapplied to an on-cell touch type in which a separate touch panel havingtouch electrodes and touch routing lines are arranged on the displaypanel.

FIG. 4 is a waveform illustrating a common voltage supplied to commonelectrodes and a touch driving signal for a display period and a touchperiod of one frame period of a display device according to the presentinvention.

The display device according to the present invention is driven by timedivision of one frame period into a display period DP and a touch periodTP to perform both image display and touch sensing. The timingcontroller 20 may operate the in-cell touch display device according tothe present invention in a display mode for the display period DP of oneframe period, and may operate the same in a touch mode for the touchperiod TP. For example, if one frame period is 16.7 ms, the displaydevice may be driven by dividing the display period DP within one frameperiod into 10.7 ms and the touch period into 6 ms. However, the displaydevice of the present invention is not limited to this case.

The touch driver 60 supplies the common voltage Vcom to the commonelectrodes TE through the touch link lines T1 to Tp for the displayperiod DP. The touch driver 60 supplies the touch driving signal TDS tothe common electrodes TE through the touch link lines T1 to Tp for thetouch period TP, and senses a change of capacitance of the commonelectrodes TE through the touch link lines T1 to Tp. Therefore, thecommon electrode TE is used as a touch electrode for touch sensing forthe touch period TP.

Although FIG. 4 illustrates that one frame period includes one displayperiod DP and one touch period TP, it is to be understood that thepresent invention is not limited to the example of FIG. 4. That is, oneframe period may include a plurality of display periods DP and aplurality of touch periods TP. The touch driving signal TDS may includea plurality of pulses. Also, although description of FIG. 4 will begiven based on that the touch driving signal TDS has a voltage of ahigher level than the common voltage Vcom, the present invention is notlimited to the example of FIG. 4. That is, the touch driving signal TDSmay have a voltage of a lower level than the common voltage Vcom.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a display device according tothe present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5, the display device according to the presentinvention comprises a cover window 300 and a housing 500.

The cover window 300 is arranged to cover an entire front surface of thedisplay panel and then supported in the housing 500 or attached to theentire front surface of the display panel 10 and then supported in thehousing 500. The cover window 300 may be a reinforcing glass, atransparent plastic, or a transparent film.

The cover window 300 includes a transparent area TA, a decorative areaDA, and a rounding corner portion CP.

The transparent area TA is provided on a center area of the cover window300 to overlap the display area (or touch area) of the display panel,and may be defined as an area where an image displayed on the displaypanel is transmitted. The transparent area TA may include roundingportions RP1, RP2, RP3 and RP4 provided at each corner portion, whereinthe rounding portions RP1, RP2, RP3 and RP4 may have a curved shapehaving a predetermined curvature radius.

The decorative area DA is provided at an edge area of the cover window300 except the transparent area TA, and covers the other area except thedisplay area of the display panel. The decorative area DA may beexpressed as a printing layer printed on the cover window to have apredetermined color. The decorative area DA may include a camera hole, asensor hole, a camera flash hole, and/or a speaker hole.

The rounding corner portion CP is formed at each corner portion of thecover window 300 in a curved shape having a predetermined curvatureradius. The housing 500 supports the cover window 300 while receivingthe display panel 10. The housing 500 directly surrounds a rear surfaceand each side of the display panel 10 attached to the cover window 300.Each corner portion of the housing 500 is rounded in a curved shapehaving a predetermined curvature radius corresponding to the roundingcorner portion CP of the cover window 300.

In the display device according to the present invention, each cornerportion CP of the cover window 300 and the housing 500 is rounded in acurved shape without having a right angle shape, whereby an improvedesthetic design may be obtained due to the more natural shape of eachcorner portion, and a screen of the corner portion may be displayed morenaturally.

FIG. 6 is a plane view illustrating a connection structure between aplurality of common electrodes and a driving circuit portion in adisplay device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6, the display device according to one embodiment ofthe present invention comprises a plurality of common electrodes TEarranged on a touch area TA defined on the display panel, a plurality oftouch link lines T1 to Tp connected with a plurality of commonelectrodes TE one to one, and a driving circuit portion 900 connectedwith the plurality of touch link lines T1 to Tp.

The touch area TA is defined to overlap the display area of the displaypanel. Each corner portion TAa of the touch area TA is rounded in acurved shape having a predetermined curvature radius. The touch area TAmay include corner touch areas CTA adjacent to each corner portion TAa,and other non-corner touch areas except the corner touch areas CTA. Forexample, the corner touch areas CTA may include corner areas at a leftupper side, a right upper side, a left lower side and a right lower sideof the touch area TA based on a plane. The non-corner touch area mayinclude a center area of the touch area TA, a left edge area of thecenter area, a right edge area of the center area, an upper edge area ofthe center area, and a lower edge area of the center area except each ofthe corner areas at the left upper side, the right upper side, the leftlower side and the right lower side of the touch area TA.

The plurality of common electrodes TE are arranged to be spaced apartfrom one another on the touch area TA defined on the display panel. Atthis time, among the plurality of common electrodes, corner commonelectrodes TE1 arranged on a corner touch area CTA have a shapedifferent from that of non-corner common electrodes TE2 arranged on theother touch area TA except the corner touch area CTA. That is, theplurality of common electrodes TE arranged on the corner touch area CATof the touch area TA may be defined as corner common electrodes TE1 (orfirst common electrodes), and the plurality of corner electrodes TEarranged on the other touch area TA except the corner touch area CAT ofthe touch area TA may be defined as non-corner common electrodes TE2 (orcenter common electrodes or second common electrodes). In this case, thecorner common electrodes TE2 may be referred to as the first commonelectrodes, and the non-corner common electrodes TE2 may be referred toas the second common electrodes or the center common electrodes.

The corner common electrodes TE1 according to one embodiment may have adifferent shape (or different size) from the non-corner commonelectrodes TE2. For example, the corner common electrodes TE1 have asquare shape, and include a chamfer TE1 a corner-cut in an oblique orstraight shape at one corner adjacent to the corner portion TAa of thetouch area TA. The non-corner common electrodes TE2 have a square shape.

The plurality of touch link lines T1 to Tp are electrically connected tothe plurality of common electrodes TE one to one and extended in adirection parallel with the first direction X or the second direction Y.The plurality of touch link lines T1 to Tp are arranged at constantintervals along a direction crossing their extension direction.

Each of the plurality of touch link lines T1 to Tp is electricallyconnected with the corresponding common electrode TE through a contacthole CH.

For example, if five touch link lines T1 to T5, T6 to T10 and Tp-4 to Tpare arranged to overlap five common electrodes TE arranged along thesecond direction Y, the first touch link lines T1, T6 and Tp-4 mayrespectively be connected to the common electrodes TE arranged at thefirst column, the second touch link lines T2, T7 and Tp-3 mayrespectively be connected to the common electrodes TE arranged at thesecond column, the third touch link lines T3, T8 and Tp-2 mayrespectively be connected to the common electrodes TE arranged at thethird column, the fourth touch link lines T4, T9 and Tp-1 mayrespectively be connected to the common electrodes TE arranged at thefourth column, and the fifth touch link lines T5, T10 and Tp mayrespectively be connected to the common electrodes TE arranged at thefifth column.

Each of the plurality of touch link lines T1 to Tp is made of metal oralloy having electrical conductivity more excellent than that of thecommon electrodes TE. The plurality of touch link lines T1 to Tpaccording to one example may have a single layered structure ormulti-layered structure made of a metal material such as Mo, Ag, Ti, Cu,Al, Ti/Al/Ti, and Mo/Al/Mo.

The driving circuit portion 900 is connected with the plurality of touchlink lines T1 to Tp one to one. The driving circuit portion 900 suppliesthe common voltage to the plurality of common electrodes TE through eachof the plurality of touch link lines T1 to Tp for the display period.After supplying the touch driving signal TS to each of the plurality ofcommon electrodes TE through each of the plurality of touch link linesT1 to Tp for the touch period, the driving circuit portion 900 senses achange of capacitance of the common electrodes TE through the touch linklines T1 to Tp. The driving circuit portion 900 may be one integratedcircuit or unified driving integrated circuit, which includes the timingcontroller 20, the data driver 40, the touch driver 60, and the commonvoltage compensator 70, which are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Moreover, thedriving circuit portion 900 may further include the gate driver 30 shownin FIGS. 1 and 2.

As described above, according to one embodiment of the presentinvention, the chamfer portion TE1 a may be formed at one corner of thecorner common electrodes TE1 facing the corner portion TAa of the toucharea TA, and the corner portion TAa of the touch area TA may be roundedin a curved shape, whereby the corner area of the display device may berealized in a more natural curved shape and esthetic design of thedisplay device may be improved.

FIG. 7 is a plane view illustrating a connection structure between aplurality of common electrodes and a driving circuit portion in adisplay device according to another embodiment of the present invention,and FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a portion A shown in FIG. 7. In FIGS.7 and 8, arrangement of the plurality of touch link lines shown in FIG.6 is modified. Therefore, the plurality of touch link lines and theirrelated elements will be described, and repeated description of theother elements will be omitted or briefly described.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, in the display device according to thisembodiment, each of the plurality of touch link lines T1 to Tp isconnected with the plurality of common electrodes TE one to one througha plurality of contact holes CH.

Each of the plurality of touch link lines T1 to Tp is made of metal oralloy having electrical conductivity more excellent than that of thecommon electrodes TE. For example, the plurality of touch link lines T1to Tp may have a single layered structure or multi-layered structuremade of a metal material such as Mo, Ag, Ti, Cu, Al, Ti/Al/Ti, andMo/Al/Mo.

Among the plurality of touch link lines T1 to Tp, the touch link linespassing through the non-corner common electrode TE2 and the cornercommon electrode TE1 may be arranged at a first interval D1, and thetouch link lines passing through the non-corner common electrode TE2only may be arranged at a second interval D2 different from the firstinterval DE In this case, the first interval D1 may be narrower than thesecond interval D2.

The plurality of touch link lines T1 to Tp according to one embodimentmay be categorized into a first group TLG1 and a second group TLG2.

The first group TLG1 includes touch link lines T1 to T5 and Tp-4 to Tppassing through the non-corner common electrode TE2 and the cornercommon electrode TE1 while being spaced apart from one another at thefirst interval D1 along the first direction X in parallel with thesecond direction Y.

The touch link lines T1 to T5 and Tp-4 to Tp of the first group TLG1 arearranged at both edge portions of the touch area TA that includes acorner touch area CAT of the touch area TA. Therefore, the touch linklines T1 to T5 and Tp-4 to Tp of the first group TLG1 are arranged topass through all of two corner common electrodes TE1 and the pluralityof non-corner common electrodes TE2 based on the second direction Y. Forexample, although five touch link lines T1 to T5 and Tp-4 to Tp havingthe first interval D1 may pass on one corner common electrode TE1, thepresent invention is not limited to this example.

The second group TLG2 includes touch link lines T6 to T10 passingthrough the non-corner common electrodes TE2 only while being spacedapart from one another at the second interval D2 different from thefirst interval D1 along the first direction X in parallel with thesecond direction Y.

The touch link lines T6 to T10 of the second group TLG2 are arranged onthe other touch area TA except both edge portions of the touch area TAthat includes a corner touch area CAT of the touch area TA. Therefore,the touch link lines T6 to T10 of the second group TLG2 are arranged topass through the non-corner common electrodes TE2 only based on thesecond direction Y. For example, although five touch link lines T6 toT10 having the second interval D2 may pass on the non-corner commonelectrodes TE2, the present invention is not limited to this example.

The touch link lines T1 to T5 and Tp-4 to Tp of the first group TLG1arranged on the corner common electrode TE1 are overlapped with theother area except the chamfer portion TE1 a provided in the cornercommon electrode TEE That is, the touch link lines T1 to T5 and Tp-4 toTp of the first group TLG1 do not pass through the chamfer portion TE1 aprovided in the corner common electrode TE1 or are not overlapped withthe chamfer portion TE1 a. Therefore, the touch link lines T1 to T5 andTp-4 to Tp of the first group TLG1 have the first interval D1 narrowerthan the second interval D2 to completely pass through the other portionof corner common electrodes TE1 spaced apart from one other by thechamfer portion TE1 a. That is, the touch link lines T1 to T5 and Tp-4to Tp of the first group TLG1 have a pitch narrower than that of thetouch link lines T6 to T10 of the second group TLG2 by being spacedapart from the chamfer portion TE1 a of the corner common electrode TE1.

Each of the plurality of common electrodes TE is electrically connectedwith the plurality of touch link lines T1 to Tp through the same numberof contact holes CH. For example, although each of the plurality ofcommon electrodes TE may electrically be connected with the plurality oftouch link lines T1 to Tp through three contact holes CH, each of theplurality of common electrodes TE may electrically be connected with theplurality of touch link lines T1 to Tp through N (N is a natural numberof 2 or more) contact holes CH without limitation to three contactholes.

Each of the first touch link lines T1 and Tp-4 and the last touch linklines T5 and Tp of the touch link lines T1 to T5 and Tp-4 to Tp of thefirst group TLG1 may electrically be connected with the correspondingcorner common electrodes TE1 through three contact holes CH, and theother touch link lines T2 to T4 and Tp-3 to Tp-1 may electrically beconnected with the non-corner common electrodes TE2 through threecontact holes CH. Likewise, each of the touch link lines T6 to T10 ofthe second group TLG2 may electrically be connected with thecorresponding non-corner common electrodes TE2 through three contactholes CH.

The contact holes CH are provided in crossing areas of the touch linklines T1 to T10 and the common electrode TE, whereby the touch linklines T1 to T10 are electrically connected with the common electrode TE.At this time, a contact area between the touch link lines T1 to T10 andthe common electrode may be set by the number of contact holes CH and isincreased as the number of contact holes CH provided in the crossingareas of the touch link lines T1 to T10 and the common electrode TE isincreased. If the contact area between the touch link lines T1 to T10and the common electrode TE is increased, contact resistance between thetouch link lines T1 to T10 and the common electrode TE may be reduced.Therefore, in this embodiment, based on a width W1 of the chamferportion TE1 a provided in the corner common electrodes TE1, the firstinterval D1 (or pitch) of the touch link lines T1 to T5 and Tp-4 to Tpof the first group TLG1 electrically connected with the corner commonelectrodes TE1 is set to be narrower than the second interval D2 (orpitch) of the touch link lines T6 to T10 of the second group TLG2electrically connected with the non-corner common electrodes TE2,whereby a contact area (or the number of contact holes) between thecorner common electrodes TE1 and the touch link lines T1 to T5 and Tp-4to Tp and a contact area (or the number of contact holes) between thenon-corner common electrodes TE2 and the touch link lines T6 to T10 maybe the same as each other.

Additionally, the display device according to this embodiment furthercomprises dummy lines DTL.

Each of the dummy lines DTL is arranged between two adjacent touch linklines T6 to T10 in parallel with the touch link lines T6 to T10 on eachof the non-corner common electrodes TE2. At this time, at least onedummy line DTL may be arranged between two adjacent touch link lines T6to T10. Each of the dummy lines DTL is electrically connected with thecorresponding common electrode TE through a dummy contact hole DCH. Thedummy lines DTL arranged on each of two adjacent non-corner commonelectrodes TE2 along the second direction Y are electricallydisconnected from one another without being electrically connected withone another. That is, the dummy lines DTL are arranged on the non-cornercommon electrodes TE2 only.

The respective dummy lines DTL according to one embodiment are arrangedto be parallel with the touch link lines T6 to T10 on each of the cornercommon electrodes TE1 at outer edges of the corner common electrodesTE1. Each of the dummy lines DTL is electrically connected with thecorresponding corner common electrode TE1 through the dummy contact holeDCH. At this time, each of the dummy lines DTL arranged on the cornercommon electrodes TE1 is electrically disconnected from the dummy linesDTL arranged on the adjacent non-corner common electrodes TE2 along thesecond direction Y.

Each of the dummy lines DTL according to one embodiment is made of metalor alloy having electrical conductivity more excellent than that of thecommon electrodes TE. For example, the dummy lines DTL may be made ofthe same metal material as that of the plurality of touch link lines T1to Tp. The dummy lines DTL prevents color shift from being generatedfrom an image transmitting the common electrode TE by means of the touchlink lines T6 to T10, and increases touch sensitivity by reducingsurface resistance of the common electrodes TE made of a transparentconductive material.

In the display device according to this embodiment, since the contactareas between the common electrodes TE and the corresponding touch linklines T1 to Tp are all the same as one another, deviation of touchsensitivity between the non-corner common electrodes TE2 and the cornercommon electrodes TE1, which have different shapes (or different sizes),may be minimized, whereby touch sensitivity for the corner touch areaCTA may be improved.

FIG. 9 is a plane view illustrating a connection structure between aplurality of common electrodes and a driving circuit portion in adisplay device according to other embodiment of the present invention,and FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a portion B shown in FIG. 9. In FIGS.9 and 10, the shape of corner common electrodes shown in FIG. 7 ismodified. Therefore, the plurality of corner common electrodes and theirrelated elements will be described, and repeated description of theother elements will be omitted or briefly described.

Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, in the display device according to thisembodiment, the corner common electrodes TE1 may have a different shape(or different size) from the non-corner common electrodes TE2. Thecorner common electrodes TE1 according to this embodiment have a squareshape, and include a rounding portion TE1 b rounded in a curved shapehaving a predetermined curvature radius at one corner portion adjacentto the corner portion TAa of the touch area T1. The non-corner commonelectrodes TE2 have a square shape.

The rounding portion TE1 b of the corner common electrodes TE1 may havea first curvature radius r1, and the corner portion TAa of the toucharea TA may have a second curvature radius r2 different from the firstcurvature radius r1. At this time, a center point of the first curvatureradius r1 may be the same as that of the second curvature radius r2.That is, the rounding portion TE1 b of the corner common electrodes TE1and the corner portion TAa of the touch area TA may be formed inparallel with each other in a concentric circle shape. Therefore, inthis embodiment, size deviation between the corner common electrodes TE1and the non-corner common electrodes TE2, which is generated due to thecorner portion TAa of the touch area TA, may be minimized, whereby touchsensitivity deviation between the corner common electrodes TE1 and thenon-corner common electrodes TE2 may be minimized.

In the display device according to this embodiment, since the contactareas between the common electrodes TE and the corresponding touch linklines T1 to Tp are all the same as one another, deviation of touchsensitivity between the non-corner common electrodes TE2 and the cornercommon electrodes TE1, which have different shapes (or different sizes),may be minimized, whereby touch sensitivity for the corner touch areaCTA may be improved.

As described above, according to the present invention, each cornerportion of the screen is formed in a curved shape, whereby an improvedesthetic design may be obtained, the screen of the corner portion may bedisplayed more naturally, and uniform touch sensitivity may be obtainedfor the touch area as well as the corner portion.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and variations can be made in the present inventionwithout departing from the spirit or scope of the inventions. Thus, itis intended that the present invention covers the modifications andvariations of this invention provided they come within the scope of theappended claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A display device comprising: a display panelincluding a plurality of touch electrodes having a first touchelectrode, a second touch electrode, a third touch electrode, and afourth touch electrode and a plurality of touch link lines having afirst touch link line, a second touch link line immediately adjacent tothe first touch link line, a third touch link line and a fourth touchlink line immediately adjacent to the third touch link line; and adriving circuit electrically connected to the first touch link line, thesecond touch link line, the third touch link line and the fourth touchlink line, wherein the plurality of touch electrodes are arrangedimmediately adjacent from each other in a matrix type along a firstdirection and a second direction crossing the first direction, whereinthe plurality of touch link lines are extended in a direction parallelwith the first direction or the second direction, wherein the firsttouch link line overlaps with the first touch electrode and the secondtouch electrode, the second touch link line overlaps with the firsttouch electrode and the second touch electrode, the third touch linkline overlaps with the third touch electrode and the fourth touchelectrode, and the fourth touch link line overlaps with the third touchelectrode and the fourth touch electrode, wherein the first touchelectrode has a first shape, and the fourth touch electrode has a secondshape different from the first shape, wherein the first and the secondtouch link lines passing through at least the first touch electrode arespaced apart from each other to have a first distance, wherein the thirdlink line and the fourth touch link line passing through the third touchelectrode and the fourth touch electrode are spaced apart from eachother to have a second distance, and wherein the first distance isdifferent from the second distance.
 2. The display device of claim 1,wherein the first touch electrode is arranged in a first corner toucharea of the display panel.
 3. The display device of claim 1, wherein thedisplay panel further includes a plurality of first dummy lines, aplurality of second dummy lines, and a plurality of third dummy lines,wherein the plurality of first dummy lines are electrically connected tothe first touch electrode through a plurality of first dummy contactholes, the plurality of second dummy lines are electrically connected tothe second touch electrode through a plurality of second dummy contactholes, the plurality of third dummy lines are electrically connected tothe fourth touch electrode through a plurality of third dummy contactholes.
 4. The display device of claim 3, wherein at least one of theplurality of third dummy lines is disposed between the third and thefourth touch link lines passing through the fourth touch electrode. 5.The display device of claim 3, wherein the plurality of first dummylines are disposed at one side of the first touch link line, and alength of one of the plurality of first dummy lines is different from alength of the other of the plurality of first dummy lines.
 6. Thedisplay device of claim 1, wherein the first touch link line iselectrically connected to the first touch electrode through a pluralityof first contact holes, the second touch link line is electricallyconnected to the second touch electrode through a plurality of secondcontact holes, the third touch link line is electrically connected tothe third touch electrode through a plurality of third contact holes,and the fourth touch link line is electrically connected to the fourthtouch electrode through a plurality of fourth contact holes.
 7. Thedisplay device of claim 1, wherein: the first touch electrode isarranged in an edge of the display panel, the second touch electrode isarranged immediately adjacent to the first touch electrode in the seconddirection, the third touch electrode is arranged immediately adjacent tothe first touch electrode in the first direction and arranged adjacentto the second touch electrode in a diagonal direction between the firstdirection and the second direction, and the fourth touch electrode isarranged immediately adjacent to the third touch electrode in the seconddirection and arranged adjacent to the first touch electrode in thediagonal direction.
 8. The display device of claim 1, wherein the firstdistance is less than the second distance.
 9. The display device ofclaim 8, wherein: the first distance is a minimum distance between thefirst touch link line and the second touch link line, and the seconddistance is a minimum distance between the third touch link line and thefourth touch link line.
 10. A display device comprising: a display panelconfigured to include first touch electrodes to fourth touch electrodesarranged immediately adjacent from each other in a matrix type along afirst direction and a second direction crossing the first direction; aplurality of touch link lines including a first touch link line, asecond touch link line immediately adjacent to the first link line, athird touch link line, and a fourth touch link line immediately adjacentto the third link line; and a driving circuit electrically connected tothe first touch link line, the second touch link line, the third touchlink line, and the fourth touch link line, wherein the plurality oftouch link lines extend in a direction parallel with the first directionor the second direction, wherein the first touch link line and thesecond touch link line overlap with the first touch electrode and thesecond touch electrode, and the third touch link line and the fourthtouch link line overlap with the third touch electrode and the fourthtouch electrode, wherein the first touch electrode has a first shape,and the fourth touch electrode has a second shape different from thefirst shape, and wherein a minimum distance between the first touch linkline and the second touch link line is different from a minimum distancebetween the third touch link line and the fourth touch link line.